Issue #13: Tania Kottoor
"Success means leaving an impact on this world"
Why hello there.
I hope you all have been doing as well as possible on this increasingly chaotic planet.
As for me, I’ve just traded 30 Fahrenheit for Celsius and I’m pretty pleased about it. This time I took the longer (but somehow less torturous) flight home via Honolulu, thanks to fellow Aussie Laura Brown’s advice in the last issue. The next few weeks will involve 4am work wake-ups, a copious amount of Pods and hot chips (with chicken salt, because are you even Australian if not), and compensating for vitamin D deficiencies that come with a NYC winter.
All that to say it feels great to be back publishing this, even with jet-lagged brain cells. I met this issue’s Hype Woman when I co-hosted an event for Vital Voices around ‘fashion as activism’, which she very kindly participated in as a panelist. Fashion x impact is an area I became really excited about after working on New York Fashion Week for a couple of seasons, with my current employer being the presenting sponsor for two years. I had never really been ‘into’ the fashion industry, but after being properly immersed in it for two years I couldn’t believe the amount of innovation - and purpose-led innovation - being spearheaded by emerging designers around the planet. Tania Kottoor is the perfect embodiment of this future of fashion, and I’m so excited to share her interview.
Before I hop to it I wanted to quickly jot down some things that have brought me joy (and a cult documentary that brought me pure trauma).
Project Dandelion - this is a new women-led climate justice campaign that I saw suddenly popping up everywhere! You can sign up for emails at the link to be kept in the loop of events and updates, and they have beautifully designed assets that you can share.
Ghia - For those of you who are looking to drink less alcohol, Ghia a heaven-sent, very well branded and insanely amazing tasting option. Your bar cart and liver will thank you.
Female Founder World and Try Babies for entrepreneurial podcasts that aren’t a snoozefest.
Love Has Won - I am still processing this cult doco / working on being able to sleep again. If any of you have watched this, please reach out so we can start a support group.
Two very high achieving friends of mine have published books which are absolutely fantastic. Green Dot by Madeline Gray for you fiction lovers (if you like Sally Rooney, you’ll love this), and the memoir I’ll Let Myself In by Hannah Diviney - who is also a previous Hype Woman interviewee!
Melanie Masarin’s substack (founder of Ghia), where she writes about travel, gifting, building a business, etc.
Ok, let’s hop to it…
Fashion and impact with Tania Kottoor
Tania Kottoor is a first-generation Indian-American, who is a creative visionary and the design-forward Co-Founder and CEO of the purpose-driven brand WEST X EAST.
Tania has effectively married tradition with innovation. She has led her team in building the world’s first AI powered design platform for custom-fit cultural clothing and re-imagined the process of shopping for weddings and special events.
After receiving a double degree in business at Saint Louis University, she then attended the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design and was selected as one of their next leaders of luxury fashion. After graduating, Tania entered the fashion world by storm through helping small fashion labels grow to the next level, one of which is now sold in Bergdorf Goodman.
Now building her own brand, Tania has immersed herself in the startup ecosystem which has also awarded her the opportunity to participate in multiple accelerator programs and fellowships, including Tory Burch Fellowship, Gold House Ventures, Ladies Who Launch Recipient, and AdAge Generation Next. She has won over a $100K worth of grant money from pitch competitions.
How did you get your foot in the door to the fashion industry? Was it always your plan?
My upbringing was deeply influenced by my passion for dance, particularly Bharatanatyam, a classical form akin to ballet. My dance teacher played a pivotal role in broadening my perspective, introducing me to textiles, music, makeup—and the diversity of traditions across different regions of India.
In college, I double majored in business and minored in Spanish. I lived in Madrid and London. These specific cities are hubs for apparel manufacturing, retailers and fashion week. I would go to the poshest clubs in Madrid and everyone looked like they walked out of a magazine. I came back to my hometown, Chicago and worked as the first assistant to an emerging designer who’s now carried at Bergdorfs and Saks. Then I moved to London and attended the College of Fashion & Design and went to my first fashion show: Jenny Packham. This was in 2013 and I was just mesmerized. I met the late Anna Harvey who was Princess Diana’s stylist. Then she made an intro to Bandana Tewari who was formerly the editor-at-large as well as the fashion features director of Vogue India. I attended fashion week in Delhi and Mumbai and started to cement my network in India.
It was during this time that I realized my childhood fascination with fashion magazines—Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Instyle—was more than just a hobby at the library; it was a calling. When I went to India with my parents, I would eagerly pick up Vogue India, Harper’s Bazaar India, Grazia India, unknowingly manifesting my future in the fashion industry.
What led you to founding WEST X EAST, and what was your experience like getting it off the ground?
I’ve always embraced my heritage and I wanted everyone around me to embrace it as well. I wanted to marry culture and fashion and make it my thing. But my parents struggled to understand what I was doing. In turn, I struggled because I moved to NY in 2015 with absolutely no money and no support. I slept on a friend’s couch in midtown and then slept on the floor of a Brooklyn apartment. I did random jobs. Until I got my feet up and could rent a room in Bushwick, Brooklyn for a few years. It was really tough. But in hindsight, it made me stronger and more resilient.
I was in stealth mode for a few years and transitioned from a consignment model to d2c in 2020. I used my wedding as a marketing ploy to launch WEST X EAST. I conceptualized, designed and produced 75 custom outfits. Not easy to pull off! However, the wedding was nationally recognized and celebrated by major magazines like Over the Moon by Vogue, Brides and Brides Today India. This led to increased visibility and in turn, an increase of sales.
Let’s talk about purpose and impact. What would you say the mission of your company is? And what role does sustainability play?
For me, ROI = return on impact.
The number one option to source for cultural clothing is a trip to the motherland which is the biggest contributor to ESG Emissions. Most online orders are returnable which is a major contributor to carbon footprint. Traditional clothing that has been made the same way for centuries, it’s not efficient and very wasteful.
WEST X EAST is cultural clothing at your fingertips. My mission is to elevate cultural expression. Our customers can virtually personalize their outfit, get the perfect fit by taking 2 pictures from their phone and then we ship it to their doorsteps. Since the clothes are made-to-measure, we reduce waste significantly and we avoid returns. The outfits are made for you. Made to last. I found a way to bridge 2 worlds together: the new age with technology and the old age of craftsmanship.
We also fall into three SDGs:
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
You’re using AI in a really interesting way - can you tell us a bit about that?
In 2022, I realized that I need to incorporate an AI Tailor into the business model so our customers don’t have to find a tailor to take their measurements. I was thinking about AI in 2020 when no one was talking about it and it took me a few years to implement it.
You’ve participated in some pretty prominent accelerators and fellowships. What has your experience been like, and what advice would you give other founders when it comes to funding?
I immersed myself in the NYC startup community. I apply to every grant, fellowship and accelerator program. I’m everywhere. I’m a “maximizer.” My approach involves dedicating a specific day each week to meticulously review newsletters, engage with Slack groups, and compile a comprehensive list of applications along with their deadlines.
To streamline the process, I maintain a document that aggregates common questions and required attachments from various applications. It’s not that difficult. It’s just really time consuming. EVERY OPPORTUNITY UNLOCKS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
Building a business is one thing. PR’ing it is another. How have you navigated promoting WEST X EAST?
Promoting WEST X EAST has been a multifaceted journey that involves leveraging my participation in various fellowships and accelerator programs to access PR opportunities. In addition, I've strategically crafted a Media Outreach List (MOL), meticulously curating a roster of writers and editors. By thoroughly researching their preferences and areas of interest, I tailor my pitches to align with their specific focus areas. Despite being a time-intensive process, success lies in persistent follow-ups and the delivery of compelling, relevant story ideas.
I’ve seen you talk about the importance of building meaningful relationships and asking for introductions. How are you going about relationship building now that we’re in this strange hybrid world?
For every one good connection you make, you're going to have 20 that weren't worth anything to you or the person you were talking to. It’s the little stone path you’re making. You go down this path and eventually, you’re moving forward. You have to be willing to just understand that and invest in that process.
There is a lot of Zoom fatigue. Try to connect with someone in-person. I work out of a social club called Luminary in NoMad. I invite people over for coffee or wine. Meeting IRL leaves a stronger lasting impression.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Entrepreneurship is a spiritual journey. You’re creating a new you. Listen to your inner voice. If I had not listened to my inner voice and instead listened to my parents and took a more linear and stable path in life, I wouldn’t be building a brand.
For those entering the fashion industry - what about the industry most excites you right now?
I’m optimistic about personalization. Any sort of customization provides exclusivity and an extension of your personality. Not ultra customization but semi customization where we have perimeters so the end results will still be very tasteful.
What do you want your legacy to be?
Success means leaving an impact on this world. In the context of fashion, fashion means art. Fashion is a form of business. Fashion is being part of a community. Fashion is an expression of your identity and your roots. My legacy aims to preserve cultural heritage, particularly for Third Culture Kids like myself, ensuring that they can continue to celebrate significant moments with a sense of style deeply rooted in their cultural backgrounds.
Hi, bye, and happy holidays.
Next year I am hoping to get more consistent with publishing this newsletter (alongside solving world hunger, reversing climate change and curing cancer). But seriously, I’m going to try. Thank you all for your support this year, and to the leaders who agreed to be interviewed. I hope you all have an amazing silly season (an Aussie term for the holidays that the US desperately needs to adopt), and I’ll see you back on these gorgeous white internet pages next year.
Chloe x